Sting CD case: CBI summons part of plan to influence floor test, says Harish Rawat

With CBI issuing summons to him in the sting CD case, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today voiced doubts about the neutrality of the probe agency, alleging the timing of the move suggests there is an attempt to “influence” the floor test in the assembly.

“Be it imposition of President’s rule which was done just a day before the state government was to go for a floor test or the summons which comes a day after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to seriously consider the option of a floor test in the assembly, the hurry with which all this has been done shows there is an attempt to influence the floor test if that takes place,” Rawat told a press conference here.

The deposed Chief Minister alleged that the manner in which these steps were being taken suggests they were part of a “plan”. CBI today summoned Rawat for questioning in connection with its inquiry into the controversial sting operation CD in which he was purportedly seen talking to middlemen in a bid to strike a deal with rebel Congress MLAs.

CBI sources said Rawat will be appearing on Monday for questioning in connection with a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the sting CD case. Rawat, however, said his is yet to receive the summons.

“When they had to impose President’s rule here on March 27 a day before a scheduled floor test, the Prime Minister came back from Guwahati in no time and even held a Cabinet meeting late in the night to take a call.

“Now, when the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to seriously consider the option of a floor test, the CBI gets into overdrive. All this looks part of a plan to deny us a level-playing field during floor test,” Rawat said. “Couldn’t they have waited for a clear-cut order from the Supreme Court? This kind of hurry was never seen earlier,” he said.

Blaming BJP for the political crisis in Uttarakhand, he said first it engineered a split in CLP, then imposed President’s rule in the state and has now set the CBI after him.

“People of Uttarakhand will never forgive BJP for the damage it has done to the state’s body politic,” he said. Expressing his readiness for a floor test, Rawat claimed that all his MLAs were with him despite BJP “struggling hard to buy them.” He alleged that the “BJP’s offer to buy MLAs has exceeded Rs 50 crore” and said a private bank was being used for the purpose”.